Two weeks before Christmas…are you already running behind? Exhausted? Weary? Maybe even burned out? It’s time to take a pause. It’s time to turn to Jesus to recover our lives. It’s time to take a real rest. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the…
The Bible is full of miracles and advice to stay alert for God’s wonders: Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence. (Psalm 105:4, MSG) Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. (Romans 12:11, MSG) We are children of an awesome and almighty God and we are called to pray boldly and expect great things. Why don’t we then do that? Why don’t…
We all know that Jesus is our best Christmas gift ever. But do you know what to give Jesus this Christmas? Just yesterday this was a novel concept to be. It had never occurred to me that I could concretely give Jesus a birthday present until I read Ann Voskamp’s blog post where she shares how their family gives birthday gifts for Jesus by buying goats or mosquito nets. I thought it was a brilliant idea. So during the dinner…
Have you messed up? Don’t you measure up? Are you tired and at the end of your rope? I have good news for you! That’s exactly why God sent Jesus into the world. Because we do mess up. Because we don’t measure up. Because we are imperfect. Because we can’t make it alone. “Or, you may fall on your knees and pray—to God’s delight! You’ll see God’s smile and celebrate, finding yourself set right with God. You’ll sing God’s praises…
I’ve always thought that we are called to live in reverend awe of God. Hence when I learned that Margaret Feinberg‘s new book is called Wonderstruck I knew right away I wanted to read it. So I am more than delighted to be part of her partymob team for Wonderstruck. I’ve been reading the sneak preview of the book and I will be sharing the best parts with you on Fridays. If you are eager to learn how to live…
Do you know that God knows you by name? To God you are not a nobody. To God you are his beloved child. To God you are a very special person. Hosea put it well: I’ll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved. In the place where they yelled out, “You’re nobody!” they’re calling you “God’s living children.” Isaiah maintained this same emphasis: If each grain of sand on the seashore were numbered…
The daylight is getting shorter and shorter, the darkness is all around us. This is the time of year when the Bible verses telling us that Jesus is the light for all people are even more precious. Or maybe it is easier to understand how much we need Jesus in the midst of all this darkness. Because of Christ the darkness will not have the last word. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and…
Black Friday is the craziest shopping day in the U.S.A. But no matter how many hours people spend shopping, the best deal ever can’t be bought. Because it is free yet so precious. It was shed and given on Good Friday almost 2000 years ago. It is valid every day until the end of the world. By dying on the cross for our sake Jesus gave us the best deal ever: we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus….
What do you think? Does it really matter what you choose today? The world is big, you are small…does it really matter what you choose today? I dare to say yes. It does matter what we do each day. It does matter what we choose. Why? Because each choice we make changes us into one direction or another. Yes, you can’t see or feel the difference today but in five years time you can already see or feel it. It…
Are you exhausted, ready to quit? Do you feel lost or weak? Are you tired of waiting? The darker it gets outside, the harder it is to believe that there is light, there is purpose, there is God. Sometimes life seems like a desert. But no matter how we feel, God is real. No matter how things seem, there is hope. Sure, there are periods of time when God seems distant. Sure, there are periods of time when nothing happens…
